Heavy rains trigger flash floods and evacuations across Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico

Heavy rainfall across the Southwest on Sunday produced flash flooding and prompted mandatory evacuations in multiple jurisdictions. In Pagosa Springs, Colorado, officials warned that the San Juan River could crest above 20 feet, surpassing the 17.8-foot level recorded during the 1911 flood. > "This is a potentially catastrophic flood event," the Archuleta County sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. By late Sunday the river had risen to about 14 feet, and county spokesperson Vicky Schaffer reported that roads into the town were closed and residents without evacuation orders were advised to remain indoors.

Similar orders were issued in northern New Mexico and central Arizona. In Sedona, Arizona, authorities ordered an immediate evacuation of residents near Oak Creek after floodwaters trapped people in their homes. Yavapai County and the community of Camp Verde also ordered evacuations for residents near swollen waterways. Gila County ordered a full evacuation of Gisela, a small community along Tonto Creek.

In Tucson, Arizona, flash floods and swift-water rescues were reported, and a man who fell into fast-moving water was reported missing, according to police. Flagstaff experienced road flooding and overwhelmed storm drains. Meteorologist Aaron Hardin of the National Weather Service in Tucson noted that the region was receiving “two or three months of rain in a span of a couple of days.”

The storm system, which began Saturday evening, is expected to continue through Monday, with the Weather Service estimating up to four inches of rain across the area. Flood warnings and watches have been issued for most of Arizona, parts of southern Utah, southwestern Colorado, western New Mexico and southern Nevada, including the Four Corners region.